Literally. We have new light from above. Check out the picture of my family room. That bright circle on the ceiling isn’t an electric light. It’s the sun! In the past couple of weeks, we’ve had three solar tubes installed in our house – two in the family room and one in the kitchen.

If you follow this blog, you know we’ve been talking about coal and electricity recently. I’d love to say that my family’s decision to install solar tubes was in response to our desire to use less electricity, less energy, less coal. And that was a consideration. But the bigger reason was more self-serving: I wanted more natural light in some of the darker areas of our house just because I like natural light. The way our house is situated, we don’t get nearly as much of it as I would choose, and I’ve always wished for more. We have considered skylights from time to time, but they always seemed too expensive and work-intensive, what with all the drywalling and painting that’s required with their addition. But then we learned about solar tubes! We could have them less expensively than skylights, and each one took only about an hour to install (done by a professional). That was it! The result is wonderful. Unfortunately, I don’t have before and after pictures, but you can get a sense of the increased light from the shadow cast by the pillow onto the arm of the couch. That most certainly was not there before.

What I love about this little anecdote is that one largely selfish act is so beneficial! By getting something I wanted – more natural light – I’m using less electricity, which reduces my use of coal, lowers the demand on the power grid, and hopefully lowers my electric bill. It also supports jobs in the “green economy,” as we purchased a solar product and paid a professional to install it. And it is another step in our household’s efforts to live more sustainably. I find it all very hopeful. Or maybe I’m just giddy from all that natural light.

As you may already be aware, ELCA World Hunger just released a new curriculum, Taking Root: Hunger Causes, Hunger Hopes. This curriculum is an excellent tool to help raise up the next generation of people who will be passionate about addressing the root causes of hunger and poverty.

To help get the word out about the curriculum and to answer any questions that folks may have about it, I will be hosting three WebEx sessions with the author, ELCA pastor Stacy Johnson. I invite you to join us on Monday, May 11 from 1-2pm CST, Tuesday, May 12 from 7-8pm CST, or Thursday, May 14 from 7-8pm CST. If you are interested, please contact me at david.creech@elca.org and I will give you the details you need to join us for the conversation.

If you know of anyone else who may benefit from this opportunity (such as pastors, Sunday school teachers, Christian education directors, etc.), feel free to forward this post to them.

David Creech

Getting ready to move takes lots of time and work. It also brings you face to face with just how many belongings you have. As a simple living sort of person, I thought I didn’t have many possessions. Was I wrong!

Last weekend I held a freecycle and basement sale to clear out some of the stuff I didn’t know I owned. One side of my basement held stuff with price tags. On the other side, everything was free! People loved helping themselves, and all my free (and most of my priced) treasures found new homes. Very little had to be recycled or discarded, and I felt like Lady Bountiful, telling people, “yes, it’s really free–please take it!”

The Bible invites us to construct an economic system based on God’s principles. A freecycle is a great way to boost the economy of grace. (Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the water!) At www.freecycle.net you can learn more about freecycling and participating in freecycling groups. And it’s something a church can easily do on its own–perhaps at church, after worship.

I’m hooked on freecycling now. I’ve already started a new stack of stuff for my next freecycle, so I can be sure my stuff stays out of the landfill…and so I can watch more people smile.

Anne Basye

As a nation, we love coal. Over 50% of our electricity comes from coal, and it’s a natural resource that we have lots of. It’s an abundant energy source right here in our own country. Each time we flip the light switch, turn on the TV, or warm up dinner in our microwaves, we should be grateful for coal.

But it’s not all happiness and lights. The trouble starts from the very beginning, when you have to get the coal out of the ground. Traditionally, we have engaged in underground coal mining and strip mining. But more recently, we’ve moved to mountaintop removal mining. The name is just as it implies. The top of the mountain – up to about 400 feet of it – is blown off, exposing the seams of coal, which are then extracted and hauled away. The benefit of this method is that it’s cheap. And theoretically, cheaper extraction means cheaper power for us consumers. Compared to digging deeply into the mountain, structurally supporting the tunnels, sending people in to dig out the coal, and then hauling it out of the mountain, it’s pretty easy to blow off the top of the mountain. It also takes many fewer people to accomplish, which is not only cheaper, but puts fewer lives at risk.

But what a toll it takes! The video clip below shows the scope of it – sort of. I filmed it from an intact mountain (hence the trees in the foreground) overlooking an area that has been mined and is no longer active. Note how far there are no trees, and how much lower the ground is in the mined areas. And this mine actually goes quite a bit farther to the right than the video shows. It was sobering to see.

On the flip side, the nation’s demand for electricity continues to grow. As long as we keep asking for power, companies will seek ways to supply it. And we aren’t exactly docile if our lights don’t turn on when we want them to. What’s more, coal is one of two major industries in West Virginia. Mining provides much needed jobs (though not as many as it used to), and a tax base that supports education, hospitals, and infrastructure. We met State Senator John Unger, who explained that without coal mining, there would be a serious shortage of tax funding for necessary services. As a result, the legislature and government give mining companies the benefit of the doubt. Indeed, we heard the ambivalence of citizens, who live with the trade-offs between employment and environment every day. Senator Unger commented that it often feels as though it’s a choice between economic justice and environmental justice. What impossible choices to make.

-Nancy Michaelis

Jennifer Allen works with our Mexican partner, AMEXTRA, and sent me this update on conditions in her adopted country:

First and foremost, we would like to express our gratitude for the concerns, prayers and support of so many people who have shown solidarity with Mexico right now. We are indeed in the middle of a difficult situation due to the swine flu. As of noon on Monday, April 27th, 2000 cases had been confirmed and 150 associated deaths. Although deaths have only been reported in Mexico, the virus is being reported in the USA and is suspected in other parts of the world.
The Mexican government is taking the following measures: cancellation of public events, closing of all schools in the country until May 6th, mass communications of the symptoms and preventative measures (constantly wash hands, do not greet others with a hand shake or kiss on the cheek, disinfect food, dishes and doorknobs), distribution of face masks, quick diagnosis and medical attention for suspected cases and isolation of the sick. Society in general is voluntarily choosing to go outside as little as possible to avoid being infected which most commonly occurs through coughs and sneezes.
In Amextra we have taken the following preventative measures: Reduce schedules to include only indispensable meetings in order to reduce exposure to contagions for program participants and staff. Work to promote preventative measures in the communities where we work. Pray for the situation.
We are already hearing reports of the illness in our communities, although details are yet to be confirmed. The distribution of face masks on behalf of the authorities is not sufficient and does not reach the communities where Amextra works. The marginalized families who we work with have low incomes which affect their diet. They need need vitamin supplements to strengthen their immune systems, as well as hygienic materials (soap and bleach) which for the same economic limitations they cannot purchase.
As a preventative response in our communities which are at high risk, Amextra is beginning initial efforts to distribute face masks which we hope to combine with packages of Vitamin C, soap, and bleach in order to support the recommended hygiene standards for families.
Our goal for this first support phase is to provide 3,000 people with personal sets of: 2 face masks, 1 bar of soap, 1 bottle of bleach and 1 box of vitamin C, each package will cost only $5 USD.

AMEXTRA is an association that works in urban and rural areas to transform life for the poorest of the poor. ELCA World Hunger supports this ministry with an annual grant of $60,000. You can find information about giving to ELCA World Hunger Appeal at http://www.elca.org/Our-Faith-In-Action/Responding-to-the-World/ELCA-World-Hunger/Give-Now.aspx

Peace
Pastor Rodger

I was thirsty last night, so I grabbed a cup, went to the sink, and filled it with water. Then I paused. Should I drink it? Was it safe? I wasn’t sure what to do. I was afraid of the water.

I’ve spent the week in West Virginia, where I and my colleagues have been learning about the coal mining industry. It’s a major industry in West Virginia, providing jobs and a tax base, and much of the electricity we all enjoy – and demand. But coal mining has some pretty dark sides. One of the things I learned is that the water near the mines and downstream of them is polluted with heavy metals and chemicals. The processes of displacing earth and cleaning coal produce byproducts that flush into the mountain waterways. Many of the people who drink well water in affected hollows have rotten teeth and tremendous dental bills because the contents of the water eat the enamel on their teeth, leaving them unprotected from the bacterias that cause decay. We met a woman who has $10,000 worth of crowns, and heard about a young man who had full dentures at age 16 because his real teeth had all rotted from the water. Brushing your teeth is perhaps more dangerous than not.

And teeth are just the body’s first point of contact with this polluted water. The metals, minerals, and chemicals cause further havoc once ingested. Apparently, the majority of people in some areas have had their gall bladders removed, and cancers are widespread. We met a woman named Maria who said she had once been asked if she knew anyone who died of cancer. She got some paper and filled 12 pages with names. Maria is also one of the people who has had her gall bladder removed, and she has returned to drinking soft drinks because they are healthier than the water.

As my colleague Aaron Cooper pointed out, we know the statistic that one is six people in the world lack access to safe drinking water. It’s startling to realize how many of them live right here in the USA.

Remember that old bumper sticker, “War is not healthy for children and other living things?” Conflict and violence damage lives along with the systems that sustain them—the farms, markets, wells, schools and hospitals we depend on every day.

This week in Nairobi, Kenya, 200 youth are participating in an ecumenical peace summit. Their goal is to learn and practice peace building in response to the post-election violence that occurred in Kenya in 2007 and early 2008. The 200 youth include Muslims, Methodists, Anglicans, Presbyterians, Catholics and Lutherans from across Kenya as well as Rwanda, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, United States, and South Africa.
The event’s sponsors are the Kenya Evangelical Lutheran Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. A generous grant from ELCA World Hunger is making the whole thing possible. You can follow the activities, view the slide shows, and check out a daily newsletter at http://peacesummit2009.wordpress.com

Give the blog a look, and be proud that Lutheran churches are equipping people for peacemaking!

Anne Basye

I highly recommend reading Thomas Friedman’s April 11th Op-Ed column in the New York Times. The ELCA World Hunger staff has been talking a lot about climate change recently, and the disproportionate impact it has on those living in poverty. It’s not particularly encouraging.

So what fun to read Friedman’s article! I have to admit, I don’t know much about Costa Rica’s governmental structures or energy usage, which is a shame. Because as Friedman describes it, they are both innovative and hopeful. Apparently “it did something no country has ever done: It put energy, environment, mines and water all under one minister.” As a result, environmental, energy, and economic considerations have more balanced influence in policy decisions. And the result of that is that Costa Rica now gets some 95% of their energy from renewable sources and has reversed its deforestation. From what I can tell from a very quick check, they’ve also managed to do it while maintaining a reasonably stable economy.

Certainly Costa Rica’s opportunities and challenges are different than, say, the United States. But how hopeful to be given such an example!

My Lenten fast from meat ended on Saturday night with the Easter Vigil (Alleluia!). It is one of the only Lenten disciplines I can remember that ended with a strong sense of relief. Relief because I did not have to think so hard any more about what to eat. Relief because my wife and son and I could now eat the same meals for dinner. Relief because I could finish all my son’s uneaten scraps.

When I began the journey, I hoped to use the fast to be in solidarity with those who never get to eat meat and to learn how I could eat less meat. I think that both of these happened to a certain extent.

In general, I found that I was hungry more often (carbs and greens don’t burn as long) and therefore ate more frequently (even breakfast!). I was pretty intentional to offer prayers for those who are truly hungry when I felt mild tinges of hunger.

As to finding new ways to eat less meat, echoing what Nancy wrote earlier, I was struck by how difficult it is in our culture to avoid meat. It was particularly hard when I was traveling–my usual meal was some form of a salad or pasta with red sauce. I also wasted so much more food–veggies just don’t keep as long as meat.

But I think the biggest lesson for me was how privileged I am. When I was hungry, I would eat more. When I bought the wrong veggie, I could buy a different one. When my veggies went bad in the fridge, I would toss them out and go to the store. Even that I could at the end of forty days (+ Sundays) I could simply choose to eat something else. And I felt relief that I could just move on. In this way, instead of feeling a sense of solidarity with those who are hungry, I realized my great distance from them. I realized that I still have much to learn about walking with people who are poor and vulnerable.

I would love to hear from you about your experiences this Lent. Feel free to comment or email me directly (david.creech@elca.org).

David Creech